Saskatchewan is looking to expand its Crime Reduction Teams (CRT) and Warrant Enforcement Suppression Teams (WEST) which will build upon the significant successes of the past year. 

In the first two months of 2023 alone, WEST and CRT have removed a total of 67 guns, 142 grams of meth, 2,019 grams of cocaine, and three grams of fentanyl from Saskatchewan communities.  

In addition, the Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT) seized 38 guns, 21.4 grams of meth, 36 grams of cocaine, and 42 grams of fentanyl. They also made 20 human trafficking interventions and laid 20 criminal charges. 

In the November 2022 Throne Speech, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that it will invest 1.6 million in the 2023-24 Budget to establish an additional WEST stationed in Prince Albert.  

This represents an expansion from one team, which currently operates out of Meadow Lake and Saskatoon, into two teams, which will further enable WEST to respond and deploy across the province. 

In a press release, Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister, Christine Tell, said that the investment from the government is focused on the safety of communities in Saskatchewan. 

“The $3.2 million government is committing annually to expand CRT and WEST represents an investment in the safety of Saskatchewan communities,” she elaborated. “We’ve recently witnessed what just one of these teams can accomplish. Earlier this month the municipal Prince Albert CRT made the biggest drug seizure in that city’s history, removing over 31,200 grams of cocaine from the community as well as guns, ammunition, and the proceeds of crime.” 

Additionally, the Government is investing $1.6 million in the 2023-24 budget to establish a new CRT in the Battlefords region. This would bring the total number of operating CRT’s in the province from nine to 10. 

There are currently already three municipal CRTs, which are located in Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and six RCMP CRTs, located in La Ronge, Prince Albert, Meadow Lake, Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Lloydminster. 

WEST was launched in April 2022 with a mandate to target high-profile offenders who are a significant threat to public safety, such as gang members and violent offenders with outstanding warrants. The new team is expected to be operational in late 2023-24 and will consist of eight RCMP officers, one analyst and one administrative support position. 

The CRT’s mandate is to target street gangs and prolific offenders and to respond to urban and rural crime surges when necessary. The new unit will consist of eight RCMP officers, one analyst and one administrative support position and is expected to be operational in late 2023-24. 

STRT is a specialized intelligence-led enforcement team mandated to investigate drug, weapon and human trafficking. 

“These teams have already proven their value in a very short timeframe,” Tell added. “Whether it’s apprehending violent offenders or removing drugs and guns from our communities, these teams make our province a safer place to live for everyone—and that’s something this government will continue to invest in.”